Abstract [en]

Both international and national research show that sex and relationship education provided at school play a large role in young people's sexual health and that the teacher in this context is seen as an important source of knowledge. The purpose of this study was to try to get an idea of how future teachers are prepared to teach young people about sex and relationships. To investigate this, the following question was used: What is needed so that a teacher/future teacher will be able to give a satisfactory education in sex and relationships? In this study qualitative interviews with a relatively high degree of structure and a low degree of standardization were used and four students from a university in central Sweden were interviewed. What emerges from this study is that it is necessary for the teacher/future teacher to feel secure about the subject if they are to be able to successfully teach about sex and relationships. In order to feel secure about the subject the teacher needs experience, good knowledge of the subject at hand and the proper tools to use in the teaching of others. The study also shows a link between the education given to future teachers and their own estimated ability to teach others on the subject of sex and relationships, although their personal qualities also seem to be of some significance in this matter. Overall it is difficult for a future teacher to get an adequate education in sex and relationships within the limits of the current education program for teachers.